SMU signs two-year deal with Arkansas State

[Hoop Fan]

I'm not a doomsdayer about this attendance thing, but it seems to me we're most likely gonna need a 25,000+ game in September to make up for the inevitable cold, rainy game in November against Rice or Tulsa when we will get 9,000. Remember the Nevada game last fall? It happens every year at least once. I agree that we will get our 15-17K for Ark State, the problem is we need a cushion.

[jtstang]

The attendance requirement is a joke. It is likely unenforeceable. We are likely to meet it anyway. If it were close, we'd find a way to fudge the numbers, like some schools I know did to get the attendance to move up to Div. 1A.

Why do you think it's unenforceable? And who do you know fudged their attendance to move up?

[PonyCat]

The 15K rule is no longer in effect. The NCAA got rid of it back in December or January.

[Dooby]

The attendance requirement is a joke. It is likely unenforeceable. We are likely to meet it anyway. If it were close, we'd find a way to fudge the numbers, like some schools I know did to get the attendance to move up to Div. 1A.

Why do you think it's unenforceable? And who do you know fudged their attendance to move up?

It is unenforceable, because teams schedule other teams years in advance and what if a big team would have 6 div 1a wins and be bowl eligible, but ended up with only 5 because a team they scheduled 6 years ago had to drop to Div. 3 or something. The BCS schools are too self-involved to stand for that. Conferences won't stand for it either.

It is also unenforceable because where do those teams go? i-AA independent? A team with 85 scholarships would dominate a season against 11 teams with no scholarships. Drop them to Div. II; same result.

[EastStang]

Actually the rules were even worse than that. If for example UT played Wyoming and Middle Tennessee State at home and both of them were "on probation for attendance", those games would not only not count toward bowl eligibility and they would not count toward the 5 game minimum home game rule for Div 1-A schools. So, let's say UT had scheduled 6 home games, now they have 4 that count, so they're on probation, and then their away games don't count toward their opponents six game minimums. The net result would have been utter chaos with no team being bowl eligible. After these rules were pointed out the NCAA 1-A Committee rightfully decided that the test should be: number of sports programs fielded, stadium capacity, and conference affiliation.

[OldPony]

Mrydel- You and I are talking about the same guy. OP's brain synapses take longer than they used to to route info back to his consciousness but his name was Walter Weaver. Walter played on the great HS Big 10 and state Championship teams in Pine Bluff with Norwood, Jim Barnes, Hunt etc. Good guy.
I really don't think that ASU will travel 7-8,000 though. I believe they have only drawn 20,00 a few times in Jonesboro. Many of their adult fans are not ASU grads but Jonesbotro residents who support the school by buying tickets but don't really attend the games religiously.
For those who go to Jonesboro, head toward Paragould when you leave the stadium and drive 20 miles to Roy's First Chance Saloon. Coming from the other directions it is Roy's Last Chance. It is (or was anyway)about the only fun college age bar in the area.

[mrydel]

Mrydel- You and I are talking about the same guy. OP's brain synapses take longer than they used to to route info back to his consciousness but his name was Walter Weaver. Walter played on the great HS Big 10 and state Championship teams in Pine Bluff with Norwood, Jim Barnes, Hunt etc. Good guy.
I really don't think that ASU will travel 7-8,000 though. I believe they have only drawn 20,00 a few times in Jonesboro. Many of their adult fans are not ASU grads but Jonesbotro residents who support the school by buying tickets but don't really attend the games religiously.
For those who go to Jonesboro, head toward Paragould when you leave the stadium and drive 20 miles to Roy's First Chance Saloon. Coming from the other directions it is Roy's Last Chance. It is (or was anyway)about the only fun college age bar in the area.

Yes it was Walt. He was a friend. As far as ASU traveling, I would not be surprised if they did not travel better than they show up for their home games. People up here are always looking for a road trip. You may be right but I think we will be pleasantly surprised with their showing. As for the game in Arkansas, we need to start a grass roots campaign to have it in Little Rock. Speaking with and avid ASU man in my office, he says he feels that would be best for them also. I asked him how often they played in LR. He said they did not last year (I previously said they had) but had the previous 2 years. They have one scheduled in LR against Oklahoma State in the future that is already being billed as "Cowboys versus Indians". Until we get back on our feet fully, I think this will be a good match up.

[jtstang]

The 15K rule is no longer in effect. The NCAA got rid of it back in December or January.

It's still in the NCAA manual, and I searched the NCAA legislative change proposal database for 2005 and it said nothing about repealing the attendance requirment for division 1. Where are you getting your info--please post the link.